American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 31st Annual Conference
October 8-12, 2012
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

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Evaluation of Environmental Tobacco Smoke Concentrations within Detroit Residential Households

QUENTIN MALLOY, Jonathan Thornburg, Cortina Johnson, Allan Vette, Gary Norris, Janet Burke, Stuart Batterman, RTI International

     Abstract Number: 428
     Working Group: Aerosol Exposure

Abstract
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) is associated with asthma and airway irritation in children and has also been associated with increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, respiratory infections, and otitis media (Lanphear et al, 2001; US DHHS, 2008). Optical analysis of filters for ETS was performed during two four-week intensive campaigns within the greater Detroit area during the fall of 2011 (n=24) and spring of 2012 (n=18). Samples were taken for 5 consecutive 24-hour periods inside and outside households in which children with diagnosed asthma resided. ETS concentration distributions were found to follow similar patterns during both sampling seasons with average concentrations of 9.3 microgram/m$^3 and 12.1 microgram/m$^3 respectively. Daily variations were found to be minimal with weekend averages of 10.2 microgram/m$^3 and weekday averages of 10.6 microgram/m$^3, while coefficient of variations for weekend and weekday ETS concentrations were 1.5 and 1.8 respectively. Cohort variations were significant, ranging from 8.4 for households within designated as low traffic high diesel locations up to 21.8 for households within low traffic low diesel areas.